The brain is the center of thought, memory, emotion, speech, sensation and motor function. The spinal cord and special nerves called cranial nerves carry and receive messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Brain tumors cause damage because, as they grow, they can interfere with surrounding cells that serve vital roles in our everyday life.
The American Brain Tumor Association estimates that more than 700,000 Americans are living with brain tumor today and more than 84,000 people will be diagnosed with a primary brain tumor this year.
According to the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, an estimated 84,170 new cases of primary malignant (25,130) and non-malignant (59,040) brain and central nervous system tumors are expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year.